The present invention relates to an insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus received in a connector receiving body in such a manner that a plurality of connectors and a plurality of mating connectors can be mutually engaged with and separated from each other, and integrally combining each of the connectors so as to be used for inserting into and withdrawing from each of the mating connectors. Further, the invention relates to a structure for remote controlling an engagement and separation of the insertion and withdrawal apparatus. Still further, the invention relates to a structure for mutually connecting connecting frame blocks used for the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus or the like.
Firstly, a first conventional art will be described below. The insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus is constituted, for example, by a plurality of connectors connected to a plurality of cables for transmitting and receiving a predetermined signal by means of mutually connecting a multiplicity of cables used for wiring of a computer to a multiplicity of mating cables one by one, and a plurality of mating connectors connected to a plurality of mating cables.
In this kind of insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus, a plurality of connectors integrally holding a predetermined number of cables and a plurality of mating connectors are prepared, and a plurality of connectors and a plurality of mating connectors are inserted into and withdrawn from one pair by one pair. However, there is a risk of injuring each of the cables and each of the connectors due to decrease of a working efficiency and a load incurred when working is performed.
An insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus in accordance with the first conventional art has, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a connector receiving body 1 for receiving a plurality of connectors 10 in such a manner as to be insertable and withdrawable in an inserting direction I and a withdrawing direction II.
The connector receiving body 1 has a pair of frames 3 arranged in parallel to each other, a pair of frame blocks 4 mutually, integrally holding each of both end surfaces in a longitudinal direction of a pair of frames 3, and a plurality of partition members 5 which partition the longitudinal distance between a pair of frame blocks 4 so as to separate it into predetermined intervals and which are attached to a pair of frames 3.
A pair of frame blocks 4 and a pair of frames 3 are integrally held by screws 6. In the connector receiving body 1, a plurality of space portions partitioned by each of the frames 3, each of the frame blocks 4 and each of the partition members 5 become a plurality of receiving chambers 7 for receiving a plurality of connectors 10 and a plurality of mating connectors 20. In each of a plurality of receiving chambers 7, a plurality of connectors 10 and a plurality of mating connectors 20 are received in an inserting and withdrawing direction one to one.
Further, in the connector receiving body 1, a plurality of space portions partitioned by a pair of frames 3 and each of the partition members 5 become a plurality of receiving chambers 7 for receiving a plurality of connectors 10 and a plurality of mating connectors 20.
A plurality of cables 15 are connected to each of the connectors 10, and a pair of projections 18 for locking in one-touch a pair of frames 3 of the connector receiving body 1 and for driving a slider are provided on both of upper and lower surfaces of each of the connectors 10. A pair of projections 19 for locking in one-touch a pair of frames 3 of the connector receiving body 1 and for driving a slider are provided on both of upper and lower surfaces of each of the mating connectors 20.
Incidentally, a plurality of conductive contacts (not shown) are incorporated in each of the connectors 10, and these contacts are connected to a plurality of cables 15 one to one. Further, a plurality of conductive mating contacts 21 such as pin contacts are attached to each of the mating connectors 20 in such a manner as to be in contact with the above contacts, and these mating contacts 21 are connected to contacts of apparatus side connectors held by a device holding the connector apparatus.
Further, in each of the connectors 10, an engagement portion 10b is provided at a front end portion of the inserting direction I side. A plurality of insertion holes capable of inserting each of the mating contacts 21 are formed in each of the engagement portion 10b.
Each of a pair of frames 3 has a frame plate portion 3a having an elongate plate shape, and a pair of guide portions 3b formed in a longitudinal direction at both sides of the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II of each of the connectors 10, that is, at both edge portions which are a pair of sides parallel to a longitudinal direction of each of the frame plate portions 3a. Each of the guide portions 3b is a portion which extends to an upper portion of each of the frame plate portions 3a from each of the both edge portions in the longitudinal direction of each of the frame plate portions 3a and which is curved in parallel to the frame plate portion 3a.
Further, in each of the frame plate portions 3a, there are formed a plurality of projection moving windows 25 long extending in the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II from an edge end of a side inserting each of the connectors 10. A locking spring piece 26 which has a substantially L shape and whose one end is connected to the frame plate portion 3a so as to extend to the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II is formed in each of the projection moving windows 25. The locking spring piece 26 has the same thickness as a thickness of the frame plate portion 3a, and has an elastic force in a direction perpendicular to the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II.
Since the projection 18 of the connector 10 moves in the inserting direction I along an inner side of the projection moving window 25 and a hook portion 26a formed in a front end of the locking spring piece 26 is pushes by the projection 18 when the connector 10 is inserted into the receiving chamber 7, the locking spring piece 26 pushes the connector 10 into the inner part of the receiving chamber 7 while being flexed. When the connector 10 is pushed into the inner part of the receiving chamber 7, the locking spring piece 26 returns to an original state. Under this state, the hook portion 26a prevents the projection 18 from moving in the withdrawing direction II. Since the operation is performed in the above manner, the connector 10 can be locked in one-touch within the receiving chamber 7.
Further, a plurality of projection windows 55 long extending to the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II from the edge end opposite to the edge end in the side inserting each of the connectors 10 are formed in the frame plate portion 3a. The projection 19 of each of the mating connectors 20 is fitted to the inner side of each of the projection windows 25. Under this state, since each of the projections 19 is fitted to a pair of positions of each of the projection windows 55, each of the mating connectors 20 is held within the receiving chamber 7.
Incidentally, each of the projection moving windows 25 and each of the projection window 55 are disposed in a positional relation in which they are aligned in a widthwise direction (corresponding to the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II) and a longitudinal direction of the frame plate portion 3a, and are positioned such that a pair of them are positioned in each of the receiving chambers 7.
Under a state that each of the connectors 10 and each of the mating connectors 20 are received in the connector receiving chamber 1, each of the projections 18 and each of the projections 19 project above the frame plate portion 3a. And, each of the projections 18 is adapted so as to be capable of moving in the inserting and withdrawing directions within a range of the projection moving window 25. Incidentally, since the hook portion 26a of the locking spring piece 26 exists in the withdrawing direction II, each of the connectors 10 is not separated from the connector receiving body 1.
Further, a plurality of slits 30 are formed in the frame plate portion 3a in order to fit and hold each of the partition members 5.
On the frame plate portion 3a, each of the projections 18 is interlocked with a slider 41, and it is so adapted that each of the connectors 10 can be engaged with and separated from each of the mating connectors 20 by moving the slider 41 shown in FIG. 3 in the longitudinal direction.
The slider 41 has a slider block 42 and a pair of slider plate portions 43 each of which is formed in an elongate plate shape and whose one end surface is held to each of a pair of side surfaces of the slider block 42 by screws 44 so as to be arranged in parallel with and facing each other. A first slider groove portion 50a and a second slider groove portion 50b are symmetrically formed in each of the facing surfaces of a pair of slider plate portions 43.
The first slider groove portion 50a has a linear groove portion 45a extending in a front end direction of a pair of slider plate portions 43 from the slider block 42 side, and a projection inserting groove portion 47a extending following to the linear groove portion 45a.
The second slider groove portion 50b has a linear groove portion 45b extending in a front end direction of a pair of slider plate portions 43 from the slider block 42 side in parallel to each other, an inclined groove portion 46 which follows the linear groove portion 45b and is obliquely expanded to a distance wider than a distance between the linear groove portions 45a and 45b at a portion close to the front end of a pair of slider plate portion 43, and a projection inserting groove portion 47b successively extending to the front end side of the inclined groove portion 46.
That is, the projection 18 of each of the connectors 10 and the projection 19 of each of the opposing connectors 20 are respectively fitted to the projection inserting groove portions 47a and 47b having a width larger than a diameter thereof, and by driving the slider 41 in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the inserting and withdrawing directions, each of the connectors 10 and each of the mating connectors 20 can be engaged with and separated from each other. An engagement between each of the connectors 10 and each of the mating connectors 20 can be performed by the fact that the projection 18 slides on an engagement inclined surface 46a of the inclined groove portion 46, and a separation therebetween can be performed by the fact that the projection 18 slides on a separation inclined surface 46b of the inclined groove portion 46. The engagement is successively performed by the fact that the projection 18 slides on the engagement inclined surface 46a of a pair of slider plate portions 43, and the projections 18 and 19 are received in the linear groove portions 45a and 45b of a pair of slider plate potion 43 so as to be locked immediately after the engagement.
After each of the connectors 10 has engaged with each of the mating connectors 20 and thus the drive has completed, the slider 41 locks each of the connectors 10 and each of the mating connectors 20 under a state that they are being engaged with each other. When separating each of the connectors 10 from each of the mating connectors 20, a handle 48 mounted in the slider block 42 is held and the slider 41 is driven while being pulled in a reverse direction.
Incidentally, another conventional insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (JP-A) No. 273753 of 1996.
However, in the connector apparatus shown in the conventional arts, the locking spring piece 26 extending in the inserting and withdrawing directions I and II is positioned in each of the projection moving windows 25, the projection 18 of each of the connectors 10 moves in the inserting direction I along the inner side of each of the projection moving windows 25 when each of the connectors 10 is inserted into each of the receiving chambers 7, so that each of the projections 18 is prevented from moving in the withdrawing direction II by each of the hook portions 26a. Accordingly, when the interval for receiving each of the connectors 10 in each of the receiving chambers 7 becomes narrow, a space for forming each of the locking spring piece 26 in the frame plate portion 3a can not be secured.
Further, when each of the locking spring piece 26 is formed in each of the projection moving windows 25, it is necessary to form each of the large projection moving windows 25 in the frame 3 itself, so that there is a problem that a strength and a rigidity of the frame 3 are reduced. Accordingly, it is hard in structure to make an interval between the connectors 10 narrow.
Still further, each of the connectors 10 is prevented from coming off in the inserting direction I and excessively moving by each of the projection moving windows 25 of the frame 3 and each of the projections 18, but, in case of adopting some kinds of connectors 10 respectively having projections 18 disposed at different positions to the same connector receiving body 1, since the position of each of the projections 18 is near each of the cables 15 side (the end portion of each of the connectors 10), there is a problem that each of the connectors 10 excessively moves in the inserting direction I after interlocked by each of the locking spring pieces 26.
Next, a second conventional art will be described below. In the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus, a structure of preventing each of the connectors from being erroneously inserted (an inverse insertion between an upper side and a lower side) by changing each of groove widths of a pair of frames and a diameter of each of the projections disposed in both upper and lower sides of each of the connectors has been conventionally adopted.
However, in this insertion and separation connector apparatus, it is necessary to change the groove width of each of the sliders in correspondence to the diameter of each of the projections. Accordingly, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of sliders respectively having different groove widths in correspondence to the diameter of each of the projections.
Next, a structure for remote-controlling an engagement and separation of the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus in accordance with a third conventional art will be described below. A relay frame is fixed to a front surface of a wired casing, and the relay frame holds a multiplicity of aligned cable connectors. A pair of sliders for engaging and separating a multiplicity of cable connectors with and from a multiplicity of aligned front connectors are mounted to the relay frame. A groove for successively moving a multiplicity of cable connectors is provided in each of the sliders. A cage is fixed to a front surface of the wired casing, and a pair of rails having ten plus several steps are fixed to the cage. A printed wiring board is mounted on each of a pair of rails, and a multiplicity of aligned front connectors are mounted on the printed wiring board. In case of directly sliding a pair of sliders by a manual force, the cage is disassembled at every time the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus is engaged and separated.
In the structure for remote-controlling engagement and separation of the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus in accordance with the third conventional art, since the cage is disassembled at every time the insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus is engaged and separated when directly sliding a pair of sliders by a manual force, an operation is complex.
Further, since an operation force required for sliding a pair of sliders is determined by an inserting and withdrawing force of the insertion and withdrawal connector and an angle of a groove in each of the sliders, it is necessary to modify a metal mold of each of the sliders and to change a design of each of the connectors for changing an operation force required for sliding a pair of sliders once each of the connectors and the engagement and separation structure are manufactured, so that a cost becomes expensive.
Still further, a connecting frame block structure which is a fourth conventional art will be described below. When connecting mutually connection frame blocks such as an insertion and withdrawal connector apparatus for a cable having a large number of cores and a high density, a first connection frame block and a second connection frame block mentioned below are used for accurately positioning and firmly connecting them. That is, two guide pins and one through hole for a fixing screw are provided in the first connection frame block, and two guide holes and one fixing screw hole are provided in the second connection frame block in correspondence thereto.
And, after positioning by inserting two guide pins in the first connection frame block to two guide holes in the second connection frame block, one fixing screw is inserted into the through hole for the fixing screw in the first connection frame block and fastened to a fixing screw hole in the second connection frame block.
In the connection frame block structure in accordance with the fourth conventional art, since a thickness of a material between two guide holes becomes thin when an interval between two guide holes in the second connection frame block is shortened, a strength of the second connection frame block is lowered.
Accordingly, in the connection frame block structure in accordance with the fourth conventional art, since the interval between two guide holes in the second connection frame block can not be shortened, there is a limit for making it small.